sluggyfandomcom-20200214-history
Talk:Dimension
Alternate character names We need to decide on a convention for naming alternate characters. We've taken to calling some characters Alt-''X'', but with the multiplying number of dimensions being shown in the strip, this is becoming seriously ambiguous. Plus we get awkward constructions such as Alt-alt-''X''. I propose that all characters that are alternates of those found in Sluggy Prime have the name of their originating dimension in parentheses after their name. So, for example, the article currently titled Alt-Zoë would instead be named Zoë (Dimension of Lame). This is already the case, for some reason, with Gwynn (Dimension of Lame). There is one problem with this approach: some characters come from an unknown dimension. For example, the character currently referred to as Alt-alt-Torg comes from an unknown dimension. I believe that in these cases we should coin a name for use on the wiki until Pete provides one. For example, the article for Alt-alt-Torg could be titled Torg (Dimension of Jerk). I welcome your comments. --AlternateTorg 18:56, January 4, 2010 (UTC) : I agree that titles like Alt-Alt-Torg is cumbersome and confusing. I think including the dimension in parenthesis is a good idea. : The only question I have about removing the "Alt" entirely is the question of confusion on whether this is an article about the original character while in the noted dimension, or the alternate character. This may not be an issue at all, but it might be worth considering. If it is a problem, perhaps we can leave just a single "Alt" in front of the name and add the name of the dimension in parenthesis. So instead of Alt-Alt-Torg, it would be Alt-Torg (Dimension of Jerk). : There is one more possibility, with characters from unknown dimensions we could give them the "Alt" title instead. So rather than making up names for dimensions, we would put in the parenthesis the name of the dimension where they are encountered. The result would be that Alt-Riff would become Riff (Dimension of Lame), and Alt-Alt-Torg would be Alt-Torg (Dimension of Lame). : Just a few ideas.Poetafit 20:21, January 4, 2010 (UTC) :: I have a couple of issues with that idea. One is that the convention isn't instantly understandable to someone who doesn't already know the rule. If they didn't happen to read this conversation, they would likely fail to understand why "Alt" appears in front of certain non-prime characters and not others. :: Other problems arise as well: Using Alt-Torg (Dimension of Lame) to refer to Torg the jerk can be particularly misleading, since the entity currently referred to as Alt-Torg is the non-jerk Torg, who does originate from the Dimension of Lame. Not to mention that Riff brought several other Torgs from other dimensions into the DoL. If one of them starts showing up regularly in future strips, what do we call him? Or let's say jerk-Torg gets moved to Sluggy Prime and stays there for a long time. His article name would be even more confusing. :: I'd like whatever solution we go with to be immediately understandable and reasonably proof against the kinds of changes that Pete is likely to make as the story advances. It's for these reasons that I favor using the dimension of origin (which shouldn't change) over their dimension of residence (which does) and eliminating the "Alt-" prefix entirely. However, there is no reason why the Alt- prefix can't be mentioned in the article's body. So, for example, the article for Torg (Dimension of Lame) could mention that has also been referred to as Alt-Torg. We could also make the current Alt- entities redirect to the most likely candidate, based on current usage. --AlternateTorg 21:09, January 4, 2010 (UTC) :::All good points. So the remaining question would be: How do we decide on a name for the unknown dimensions? Or it might also be important to ask, how do we indicate the invented dimension names as opposed to the officially named ones?Poetafit 22:39, January 4, 2010 (UTC) :::: That is the tricky part, although in the past the Sluggites on the forums tend to converge on a particular name for a dimension. The article for the name of the dimension could make clear whether or not the name is handed down by Pete. Also, the Dimensions page could use some sort of marker (such as an asterisk) to indicate which dimension names are canon and which aren't. :::: Of course, any character pages using a non-canonical dimension name would have to be renamed when a canonical name is given, but I would say that typically there would not be very many characters featured in the strip from that dimension before we get a canonical name. :::: Anyone else want to chime in on the topic? --AlternateTorg 00:08, January 5, 2010 (UTC) Just how many Hell dimensions are there in Sluggy? I counted at least 3 (if we count Pain and Grief as two parts of one dimentsion), and how is K'Z'K connected to all that? Sluggy demonology is all messed up. Samoja1 (talk) 14:04, November 17, 2018 (UTC)Samoja